Petunia plant named ‘USTUN3003’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Petunia  plant named ‘USTUN3003’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit; freely branching habit; vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; dark reddish black-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘USTUN3003’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant, botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘USTUN3003’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan and Bonsall, Calif. The objective of the breeding program is to create new freely-branching and uniformly mounding Petunia plants with early and freely flowering habit, unique attractive flowers and good garden performance.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor on May 11, 2010 in Higashiomi, Shiga, Japan of Petunia×hybrida ‘Black Velvet’, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUNI8902’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,895, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Petunia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. on May 13, 2011.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by vegetative cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Bonsall, Calif. since May 16, 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘USTUN3003’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘USTUN3003’ as a new and distinct Petunia plant:

-   -   1. Upright and outwardly spreading to trailing plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Early and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Dark reddish black-colored flowers.     -   6. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parent, ‘Black Velvet’. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘Black Velvet’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as         upright as plants of ‘Black Velvet’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of         ‘Black Velvet’.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parent, ‘USTUNI8902’. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differ primarily from plants of ‘USTUNI8902’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more mounding than and not as         creeping as plants of ‘USTUNI8902’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘USTUNI8902’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘USTUNI8902’ have red purple-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of ‘Crazytunia Black Mamba’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Bonsall, Calif., plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Crazytunia Black Mamba’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Crazytunia Black Mamba’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Crazytunia Black Mamba’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia had better garden performance than         plants of ‘Crazytunia Black Mamba’.

Plants of the new Petunia can also be compared to plants of ‘Black Magic’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Petunia differed primarily from plants of ‘Black Magic’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more vigorous than plants of         ‘Black Magic’.     -   2. Plants of the new Petunia were more freely flowering than         plants of ‘Black Magic’.     -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Black Magic’ differed in         flower color as plants of ‘Black Magic’ had dark bluish         black-colored flowers.     -   4. Plants of the new Petunia had better garden performance than         plants of ‘Black Magic’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Petunia plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘USTUN3003’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical flowering plant of ‘USTUN3003’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring in 11.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and subsequently in an outdoor nursery in Bonsall, Calif. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 24° C. and night temperatures ranged from 13° C. to 16° C. Plants were pinched two times and were six weeks old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUN3003’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Petunia×hybrida ‘Black Velvet’, not             patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Petunia×hybrida ‘USTUNI8902’,             disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 17,895. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 15 days             at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 29° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 20 days             at temperatures ranging from 16° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to outwardly spreading and             mounding plant habit; freely branching habit with about             eight primary lateral branches with multiple secondary             lateral branches developing per plant; dense and bushy             appearance; pinching enhances development of lateral             branches; vigorous growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 20 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 30 cm by 35 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 24 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.             Internode length: About 1.8 cm. Strength: Strong. Aspect:             Initially upright then falling outwardly. Texture:             Pubescent; glandular. Color: Close to 146B. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate before flowering; opposite after             flowers develop; leaves simple.         -   Length.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 2.6 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Broadly acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Pubescent; glandular;             prominent veins on lower surface.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate, arcuate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A; venation,             close to 146C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 146A; venation, close to 146C.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture,             upper and lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent. Color, upper             and lower surfaces: Close to 144A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary salverform             flowers; flowers face mostly upward to outwardly; freely             flowering habit with about twelve open flowers per lateral             branch and more than 300 flowers developing per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long day responsive; long             flowering period, plants flower from early spring until             frost in the autumn, flowering continuous during this             period; early flowering habit, plants begin flowering about             four weeks after planting.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About four to five days;             flowers persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 7 mm.             Shape: Oblong. Color: Close to N186C tinted with close to             147B to 147C.         -   Flower diameter.—About 5 cm.         -   Flower depth (height).—About 4.6 cm.         -   Throat diameter, distal.—About 9 mm.         -   Tube length.—About 3.5 cm.         -   Tube diameter, proximal.—About 3 mm.         -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals fused in a             single salverform whorl. Petal lobe length (from throat):             About 2 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.2 cm. Petal lobe             shape: Fan-shaped. Petal lobe apex: Rounded; undulate and             somewhat revolute. Petal lobe margin: Entire to erosulate.             Petal lobe texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Petal lobe texture, lower surface: Mostly smooth             with silky pubescence along the veins. Throat texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture: Pubescent. Color: When             opening, upper surface: Close to 187C. When opening, lower             surface: Close to N186C. Fully opened, upper surface: Close             to more saturated than 53A; towards the throat and venation,             close to 187A; color becoming slightly darker with             development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 197C;             venation, close to 195A. Flower throat (inside): Close to             N186C; venation, close to N186A. Flower tube (outside):             Close to N186A; venation, close to 195A.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals fused in a             single star-shaped whorl. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About             3.5 mm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent; minute. Color,             upper surface: Close to N137B. Color, lower surface: Close             to 146B.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.5 cm to 5.2 cm. Width: About             2 mm. Angle: About 45° to 55° from the stem axis. Strength:             Strong. Texture: Pubescent; minute. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.             Filament length: About 1.8 cm. Filament color: Close to             201C. Anther length: About 2.5 mm. Anther shape: Oval.             Anther color: Close to 195A. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 198B. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.6 cm.             Style color: Close to 148D. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma             color: Close to N137A. Ovary color: Close to 144A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development has not been             observed on plants of the new Petunia. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been     noted to be resistant to pathogens or pests common to Petunia     plants. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to     have good garden performance and have been observed to tolerate     rain, wind and temperatures ranging from about 1° C. to about 40° C. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘USTUN3003’ as illustrated and described. 